Cajun Chicken Salad with Chipotle Mayo

 

I am always looking for new chicken salad recipes. For me, it’s an easy way to get a quick tasty dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. Himself gets his meat and I get to fool myself that I am eating healthily!

I was surprised when I realised I hadn’t posted this one before. I remember Cajun chicken baguettes being the staple of many a pub menu not so long ago and for good reason. They are so tasty and filling. So taking out the bread and using a lot more salad makes this Cajun Chicken Salad with Chipotle Mayo a lighter meal.

I did mix the whole salad together so that everything gets coated in the dressing but it looked a state so you are not getting a picture of that. I’ll take a picture next time I make it and will be more careful!

I make double the recipe and take leftovers for lunch the next day.

 

Useful tips & links:

  • Butterflying chicken breasts means that they do not need as long to marinade and cook much faster. This speeds up the whole process and also makes it less likely that you will dry out the meat.
  • Play around with the salad components. While I love the ingredients used here, some grated carrot or charred sweetcorn would also be delicious.
  • Feel free to use a bought Cajun seasoning mix. It is very easy to make you own however and there are two great recipes here on The Detox Kitchen and here from Genevieve Taylor’s Masterchef: Street Food of the World. If you use a pre made pack, be aware that they can often be quite salty. Don’t add salt or pepper to the marinade until you have tasted it without.
  • If you can’t get chipotle paste, mix a little tomato puree with cayenne pepper or smoked paprika and a pinch of chilli powder instead.
  • If the idea of a mayo dressing is too rich for you, you can used a light crème fraiche or natural yogurt instead.
  • For another Cajun chicken idea, see Louise’s Creamy Cajun Chicken on Tattooed Lady with a Baby.
  • For more quick tasty chicken salad recipes, have a look at my Warm Chicken and Bacon Salad with Honey and Mustard Dressing or my Soy Sesame and Ginger Chicken Salad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cajun Chicken Salad with Chipotle Mayo

Serves 2

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken breasts, butterflied
  • 2 heaped tablespoons of Cajun seasoning (see useful tips and links)
  • Salt and pepper (see useful tips and links)
  • A squeeze of lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • A handful of lettuce leaves
  • 2 tomatoes or a handful of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 small red onion
  • Cucumber, approx. 5 cm piece, de-seeded
  • 1 jarred roasted red pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon of chipotle paste
  • Lime juice

 

Method:

  • Mix together your Cajun seasoning with the olive oil and a squeeze of lime juice until you have a paste. Taste it to see if it needs salt and pepper and add some if it does.
  • If you are not sure about butterflying your chicken breasts, you can ask your butcher to do it for you. Add them to the Cajun paste and coat them completely in the marinade. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  • Divide the salad leaves between two plates. Dice the tomatoes, avocado and cucumber to roughly the same size. Finely slice the red onion and the roasted red pepper. Add the toppings to the leaves.
  • Prepare the dressing by mixing the mayo, Cajun seasoning, chipotle chilli paste and some lime juice together. Taste and adjust as needed. If you want a thinner dressing you can add a splash of milk to loosen it.
  • Heat a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Cook the chicken for a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Slice the chicken and place it on top of the salad. Pour over the dressing to taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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